I speak with many homebuyers who have substantial money in their 401(k), but are short on cash for a down payment, closing costs, improvements to a new home, or other expenses. One of the first things I tell them is: before you withdraw money from your 401(k), find out whether your plan lets you borrow […]

When they say time flies, they really mean it! Today marks the 31st Anniversary of Augusta Financial, which I started in my home on Shelburne Drive in Valencia. Yes, Augusta was the first of my five kids, and sadly, probably the one I paid the most attention to over the years! LOL! First and foremost, […]

This is going to be a long one, but it’s pretty important if you are planning on selling a house!   We have seen mortgage rates move up considerably over the past few weeks, and once again buyers are asking the same question: What can we do to make the payment more affordable? One option that […]

We are going to start with a TDS is a Transfer Disclosure Statement, not Trump Derangement Syndrome!  But good try!  Freddie Mac recently changed a guideline that I think every real estate agent should know about. Freddie Mac now specifically requires lenders to review a property disclosure statement, if provided, for anything that could adversely […]

Hi Everyone,  I want to share something I believe is extremely important for every Realtor, lender, escrow officer, and title professional to discuss with their clients. CNN recently reported on criminals targeting homebuyers using AI voice cloning. HousingWire has also reported extensively on the growing use of artificial intelligence, cloned voices, fake emails, and even […]